The Shuk Gallery

A 22-year old British-born artist has transformed one of Jerusalem's traditional main market places into an artistic attraction that has been dubbed The Shuk Gallery.

Solomon Souza, a former Londoner, targeted the Mahane Yehuda Market – often referred to as 'The Shuk' – for his graffiti portraits and other scenes, using the closed shutters of the area's shops and in the process developed a nightly attraction for both tourists and local residents who use the cafes at night.

Established in the late 19th century, the market has since 2015 become the focal point of the spray-painted graffiti work of Souza who immigrated to Israel a few years ago and who has so far created some 150 mural works featuring well-known faces from Jewish history, including religious, biblical and cultural figures. Working in the market place almost every evening, he plans to create hundreds more with the help of his friend and producer Berel Hahn.